Cataloguing artifacts always interests me. Even the most ordinary object can open a door to an unexpected place. Consider the humble car tag. In the museum’s collection of nearly 200 auto license plates dating from 1913 into the 1990s there’s not much to learn beyond the state’s history of legislative actions regarding vehicle registration.

We have two license plates that give a glimpse of a far greater story. They were issued in the early 1980s to ex-POWs, both Oklahoma veterans who served in World War II. The accession files have only the most basic details about either man: service branch, rank, death date, burial place. One mentions time in a Japanese POW camp, but nothing more. That seems to be typical of so many personal war records from that era—just the facts, no detail. The widows of these veterans donated the plates as historical references but nothing of their stories. Unwilling to leave the files bare, I used the facts at hand to unlock the door of public record.

US Army Enlistment Records show that Claude W. Box of Creek County enlisted in Oklahoma City on March 11, 1941. PFC Box is found on a 59th Coastal Artillery Personnel Roster dated March 31, 1942 compiled by the Corregidor Historic Society. The island fortress of Corregidor was surrendered to Japanese forces on May 6, 1942, one month after the fall of Bataan. Well over 10,000 Allied prisoners were captured and scattered across the Philippines and Asia. WWII Prisoners of War Records list S/Sgt. Box among those liberated from Tokyo POW Camp (Shinjuku) Tokyo Bay Area 35-140 three and half years later. Claude Box processed out of the Army October 1, 1945. His widow stated that he died November 1, 1984 and is buried in Mannford, Creek County, Oklahoma.

The second license plate was issued to Elvis A. McCoy, Miami, Oklahoma. The 381st Bombardment Group War Diary lists Cpl. McCoy with a combat crew assigned to the 532nd Bomb Squadron on September 1, 1944. This crew flew B-17 bombing missions over Germany and France from Ridgewell Air Field, County Essex, England. A 532nd Squadron War Diary entry for December 11, 1944 describes that day’s mission over Mannheim, Germany. It reports that subsequent flak (ground-to-air fire) in the target area downed the plane and lists the names of the crew missing in action. T/Sgt McCoy is listed as one of two POWs; six other crewmen and the pilot were killed. McCoy is named among POWs held at Stalag Luft I, Barth, Germany. His last report date with the Army Air Corps was June 1945. His last residence is listed as Miami, Oklahoma and date of death as August 1, 1988.

Box and McCoy not only answered the call, but served above and beyond with sacrifices that can only be guessed at. First person accounts of men and women in similar circumstances paint very grim pictures. It is interesting that these two stories illustrate the two happiest days in WWII history. POW liberation in 1945 coincided with V-E Day on May 8 with Germany’s surrender, and V-J Day on September 2 with Japan’s surrender. That year also saw these men turn 23.

The accession files show that two widows of veterans gave us just a couple of car tags. The details show they gave us so much more.

Violet McCoy Collection, 1988.175

The collections of the Oklahoma Historical Society contain well over seven million photographic images. Over the past year the Research Division has begun a project to reproduce many of these historic Oklahoma images and make them available to be purchased. The initial fifty images chosen include iconic photographs of the Oklahoma Constitutional Convention, Oklahoma Land Runs, the Oklahoma oil industry, a Buffalo hunt, dust bowl depictions, historic street scenes from

Oklahoma towns, and a number of images of Oklahoma farms, businesses, and territorial dwellings. In addition, individuals with historic ties to Oklahoma are represented.

These include Apache Indian Chief Geronimo, Comanche Indian Chief Quanah Parker, Wiley Post, Future President Theodore Roosevelt, President John F. Kennedy, Native American Jim Thorpe, U. S. Marshal Chris Madsen, Buffalo Bill Cody, Zack Miller (101 Ranch), Will Rogers, and Oklahoma Governor Charles Haskell. My personal favorite is a photograph taken of The U.S.S. Oklahoma and the U.S.S. Arizona at the Pedro Miguel Locks, Panama Canal on February 23, 1921, twenty years before they were both lost at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. This image has a wonderful grittiness and of course is special because the Oklahoma and Arizona are the only two battleships which did not return to fight in World War II after being sunk at Pearl Harbor.

The majority of the reproductions have been produced in a 11” X 14” format, although ten of the reproductions vary from that size. Prices range from $2 for a 4” X 6” bird’s-eye view of Oklahoma City’s Bricktown in 1910 all the way to $15 for a 10.5” X 37” panorama image of the Oklahoma Constitutional Convention in Guthrie. All 11” X 14” images are $10. Unless the reproductions are picked up at the Oklahoma History Center there will be a $6 shipping and handling fee added. In the future we hope to reproduce more photographs with themes that include Native Americans, African Americans, Dust Bowl, Oil Industry, OKC Fire Department, Weather, Land Openings, Military, Buildings, Law Enforcement, Sports, and Wild West Shows. View the 50 historic photo reproductions available for sale.

The OHS online catalog includes thousands of additional scanned images that are available for purchase. Visit www.okhistory.org/research to find out more.

So long for now from the mother ship of Oklahoma History, the Oklahoma History Center, Home of the Oklahoma Historical Society.

In 1980, Reverend Hobart Ragland, a Methodist minister donated to the Archives his paper’s. Some time earlier, the OHS had commissioned him to produce a historical survey about the state. Approximately half of the 48 document boxes in his collection is devoted to that project. Here is a small sample of his work to preserve our great history.

In manuscript collection 82.100, Box 1 begins Rev. Ragland’s efforts at documenting historic sites within the 77 counties of Oklahoma.

Fred Barde was considered the dean of Oklahoma Territorial journalist in the first decade of the 20th century. Born in Hannibal, Missouri in 1869, Barde worked with newspapers in Missouri then landed in Kansas City where he joined the staff of the Kansas City Star. In 1896, Barde was assigned to cover the emerging political activities and other social issues in Oklahoma Territory. He operated from Guthrie where he wrote about many topic’s of the day, interviewing prominent persons who were instrumental in shaping what would become a new state in 1907.

Barde died in 1916 at the age of 47. In 1917, the Oklahoma Historical Society requested an appropriation from the state legislature for $5,000.00 to purchase Barde’s papers from his widow.

The buttonhook was a common household item in the past. It consisted of a metal hook and shaft with a handle that was usually made of metal, wood, bone, or celluloid (an early day form of plastic). The buttonhook was used to fasten the multiple buttons on shoes, gloves, and dresses. Buttonhooks were frequently included in manicure and toiletry sets along with files, buffers, and cuticle tools. Also, department stores and shoe stores gave away buttonhooks that advertised their businesses.

I recently came across a type of button fastener in our collection that I had never seen. This button fastener was designed in the style of parallel action pliers. It was invented by William Bernard and patented in 1914 by the William Schollhorn Company of New Haven, Connecticut. Bernard invented numerous types of pliers,

nippers, and punches for the company. With today’s fashions, there is no longer a need for buttonhooks and button fasteners. Discovering the history of the Bernard fastener is just one of the reasons why I love my job!

March is Women’s History Month. In celebrating the many accomplishments of Oklahoman’s and there have been many, I am reminded of a person who is little known in the annuals of our heritage. Louisa Rohrer Fair was a native of Warren, Pennsylvania, though her birth is not mentioned she married Michael Fair in 1860. In the 1880’s she and her family by this time had six daughters and one son when they moved from the east coast to Clay County, Texas. When the opportunity to stake land in the Cheyenne and Arapaho country happened in April, 1892, the Fair’s were successful securing land between Rocky and Sentinel. Louisa in 1901 started keeping a diary where she would write about the weather or family gatherings which were many. Sometimes Louisa would mention Michael’s trips away from home as the family had retained their property in Texas. One can sense how hard life was in what seemed an unforgiving land, but Louisa would mention good times as well. The entries cease in 1903, but the diary has been preserved by the Research Division when Carol J. Vinson of Shreveport Louisiana donated her great-grandmother’s memories written in a care-worn ledger book back in 1989. It’s appropriate that the diary begins in late March, 1901 when she wrote the following, “Thurs. 28, Cold norther this morning…wind blowing, oh when will it get warm.” Something Oklahoman’s can relate to today.

Louisa Rohrer Fair, Rocky, Oklahoma Territory
Ms. Coll. 89.07

This diary along with millions of pages of history can be viewed at the Oklahoma Historical Society Research Division Monday-Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

All is not as it seems at first glance. We received a collection of dolls in 2009 and I made the assumption that they were just dolls. Much to my surprise, I discovered that we had received a very unique and special doll collection.

Leota McGuire was born and raised in Okmulgee. She attended the University of Oklahoma where she received degrees in Home Economics and Fashion Arts. After graduation, she operated a dance studio as well as being a dress designer and artist.

With the poverty and hardships that were inflicted on the citizens of Okmulgee followed by the shortages and rationing of World War II, Leota McGuire decided to give back to the community.  After looking at dolls for sale at the Montgomery Ward Department Store, she realized that she could make them herself.

She dyed muslin fabric to be used in creating the doll bodies and she developed a secret recipe to create the head. Using a mold for the doll head, she poured her mix of materials into it. Once the materials were dry, she would sand, carve, and paint the head with each one being unique. Yarn was used to make the hair with some curly, some braided, and some cut short. Friends and family collected scraps of fabric and leather which she sewed into doll clothes.  The dolls were distributed to children of the community whose families were unable to provide them with that luxury.

Another part of the McGuire collection is a set of small handmade dolls that commemorate the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip in 1947. The set includes the bride and groom, bridesmaids, best man, and the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The generosity and ingenuity of Leota McGuire were greatly appreciated by the citizens of Okmulgee and I am pleased that many of these dolls are now in the collection of the Oklahoma Historical Society.

The following document is from the Intruders file found in the Cherokee National records. In commemoration of Black History Month, this document provides a unique experience for the man trying to remain in the Cherokee Nation. The document can be found on microcopy CHN 83 in the first folder of intruder files.

Click to view a PDF of Jack Nelson’s application.

In 2010 the 23rd federal census will take place later this spring. In the past decade Oklahoma gained population thus it becomes important that all persons fill out the forms or take time to work with a census taker when they come to your home. Some feel that the census asks too many intrusive questions. Failure to properly fill out the census form is a misdemeanor and is punishable by a fine up to $5,000.00. Also, any misinformation provided on the form or to the census taker is a felony!! As most genealogists know, the census is restricted for 72 years. So the 2010 census does not become available until after April 2082. However, you can spare the lengthy wait for future family members by copying the form filled out and leave with your personal papers so that the information is can be gleaned after ones death.

Occasionally, we give behind the scene tours of our museum collection storage areas. The cigar ribbon smoking jacket is one of my favorite artifacts that I like to show visitors on these tours.

During the Victorian era, cigar smoking became a popular pastime for men. Many homes had a private drawing room where men would gather to smoke and visit. Men would don smoking jackets and smoking caps which absorbed the odor of the cigar smoke. During the late 1800s, cigar manufacturers bundled their products in batches of 25 or 50 cigars and tied the bundles with gold silk ribbons on which were printed the manufacturers’ names. Women who did fancy work and quilting found a purpose for these silk ribbons and created quilts, table runners, and smoking jackets from them.

The quilted smoking jacket in our collection is made from gold, yellow, and orange silk ribbons and features a shawl collar. We have several examples of the loose silk cigar ribbons in our collection as well. The vibrant colors of luxurious silk ribbons are transformed into an unusual and outstanding article of clothing, making it one of my personal favorites.